Net for collecting specimens.



M. H. MEAD.

NET FOR COLLECTING SPECIMENS.

APPLICATION FILED 050.23.1913.

1 9 1 4:3,]. m Patented June 22, 1915.

A TTOR/VEV THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, D. C.

MARVIN H. 'MEAD, OF PASSAIG, NEW JERSEY.

NET FOR COLLECTING SPECIIVIENS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed December 23, 1913. Serial No. 808,383.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARVIN H. MEAD, ofPassaic, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Nets forCollecting Specimens, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying draw ings, is a specification, like letters on thedrawings designating like parts.

This invention relates to nets for collecting specimens, such asbutterflies and other insects and is of special utility when used as anet for capturing insects on the wing, although I contemplate the use ofmy improvements in any field for which they ar adapted by their nature.

An important object of my invention is to provide a net constructed andarranged to avoid the mutilation of the specimen which often occurs withexisting forms of net, especially when the insect is of delicatestructure, or so active in its attempts to escape that it is injured bythe folds of the net in which it is enmeshed.

In carrying out my invention I prefer to provide a net with a portionhaving means to maintain it in dilated condition, so that whatever theposition of the net a certain amount of freedom is given to the insect,in the chamber thus formed, and it is entirely freed from the danger ofinjury due to the crushing or rubbing action of the folds of the net.

Among other objects of my invention is the construction and arrangementof this chamber in such a manner as to permit the collector to catch anumber of insects simultaneously or in immediate succession, the chamberserving to give ample space to inclose several specimens without dangerof their injuring each other, by rubbing their I bodies and wingstogether.

Another important object of my invention is to provide means whereby theoperator can readily introduce a lethal vessel within the net to removethe specimen without danger of escape of the latter.

Still another object is to provide means for the ready attachment of thenet to. a handle and its displacement therefrom or replacement upon asubstitute handle if the iandle is broken or one of a different type isdesired; also to provide means for ready readjustment to the handle ofthe net-hoop when the same is broken near the handle, without the needfor taking the net to a repair shop, as must be done'usually when i thehoop breaks thus, as is frequently the In the drawings, Figure 1 is aview in perspective of a specimen net in the con struction of which myinvention has been embodied; Fig. 2 1s a perspectlve view of the samenet, upon a somewhat smaller 1 scale, and showing the net in position tore tain a specimen which has been captured; Fig. 3 illustrates anoperator in the act of introducing a lethal vessel to remove a specimen;Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the preferred form of structurefor insuring dilation of the specimen chamber; Fig. 5 is a fragmentarydetail view in plan upon an enlarged scale, illustrating the attachmentdevice by which the net ring is secured to the handle; Fig. 6 is a viewof the attachment separately, in front elevation; Fig. 7 is a view of amodified form of structure for holding the net dilated; Fig. 8 is a viewin perspective of a modified form of net embodying my invention, thesame being shown in operation; Fig. 9 is a view of the net of Fig. 8taken separately from its handle; and Fig. 10 shows in perspectiveseparately the net supporting structure of Figs. 8 and 9.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration anddescription to enable ready and complete understanding of myimprovements, the part designated by the reference numeral 1 is a netwhich may be of any suitable material, such as the gauze ordinarilyemployed for butterfly nets which may, and preferably will be,waterproofed, and in accordance with my invention the net is providedwith a supporting structure 2, which may be of any suitable material andshape to maintain a portion of the net dilated, this portion of the netbeing preferably of quite transparent gauze, and constituting a chamber1 to receive the specimen 20, and in the instance selected forillustration by way of example, this structure takes the form of ametallic ring (see Fig. l) preferably having arched members 3 incrown-like arrangement, with a suitable handle 41, these memberspreferably being covered with a suitable protecting cloth or fabric towhich the net may be stitched as indicated at 5 in Fig. 1.

The material of the net is preferably extended entirely over the crownto inelose it entirely, and beyond the lower rim 2 to form an extension6 of the chamber 1, and may, and preferably will be arranged as at 7 toform a neck or constriction, limiting the area of the exit, and beyondthis constriction I prefer to widen the net as at Sin the form of afunnel-like month, which may be secured to any suitable handle, and isillus trated in the instance described as secured to a ring 9 of'fabricstitched over a metal hooplO, the ends 11 of this hoop entering holes 12(see Fig. 6) in an attachment clamp 13, where they are secured bybinding screws 14 while the handle 15 enters a somewhat larger hole 16and is there held by a binding screw 17. The handle attachment and hoopare readily interchangeable and the handle can be removed readily toreduce the space in which the net can be packed, or a different form ofhandle, or a new handle, can be readily attached to the net, and if thewire of the hoop is broken near the handle, the

broken end can be quickly bent and clamped in place again. This netsupport and clamp is not claimed specifically herein, as it forms the'subject'of claims in my application for Letters Patent filed July 9,1914, Ser. No.

The completed net is used in the ordinary manner, to capture an insecton the wing, which when it enters the funnel mouth portion 8 is directedthrough the neck 7 into the chamber 1, by continuing to swing the net inthe direction of its opening, and then by turning the hoop as indicatedin Fig. 2, the exit is closed in the usual manner, but the insectindicated by the reference numeral 20 is not crushed or rubbed by thefolds of the net, an injury to which insects caught in the ordinary netsare always subject, but finds a capacious chamber 1 in which it hassufficient opportunity to keep its wings extended.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 the mode of removing a specimen by means of alethal vessel 25 held in one hand by the operator while the other handgrasps the handle 4, will be readily understood, the arm of the operatorpractically filling the neck 7 so that no escape is possible, while thehoop 10 hangs upon the elbow, and the entire atten tion of the operatorcan be concentrated upon the location and careful capture of thespecimen, or specimens, without injury to the latter.

Animportant capability of the invention is the ability to drop the netupon the ground with the insect inclosed, after the capture of theinsects, without the possibility of injury to the latter, as it is oftendesired to direct the attention of the operator to the capture ofanother insect, or to the preparation of the lethal vessel, or otheroperations incidental to the arrangement of specimens,

and with the net in the position shown in Fig. 2, whether in the air oron the ground, the operator is sure of the captive and of its protectionfrom injury, and can leave it to become slowly accustomed to itssurroundings and thus more quiet and more easily located by the operatoras in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of support in which the crownribs of the structure for dilating the net are shown at 103 and thesemembers are extended inwardly at the base of the crown structure, asindicated at 123, so that the chamber is of hemispherical shape,confined preferably by a ring 107, forming the throat near the plane ofthe outer ring 102, and the supporting members are preferably extendedin an outwardly flaring shape as indicated at 133 and secured at 134, asby rivets to a suitable hoop 110 which may have its ends projecting asat 111 to be secured within a clamp 13 of the type illustrated in Figs.5 and 6 and already described, it being understood that this structurewill be covered by a suitable material and will then n'csentsubstantially the appearance of the not shown in Fig. l, but capable ofbeing stood upright in the position illustrated in F ig. 7, the entirenet forming a dilated chamber.

It is to be observed that the tendency of insects will be to remain inthe upper ehamher 101 formed within the members 103 and not to descendthrough the opening formed by the ring 107, so that when the operator isready the entire structure can be lifted or tilted and a lethal vessel25,

such as that illustrated in Fig. 3 can be introduced to remove thespecimen.

I have shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 a net of somewhat modified shape,comprising two end rings 202, 212 preferably of metal covered withcloth, to which is stitched the net material 201, the lower one of therings constituting the entrance hoop, provided preferably withprojections 211 by which it may be secured as at 214 to a clamp 213fastened upon a handle 215 of the type already described with referenceto Figs. 5 and 6. In accordance with my invention I prefer to provideribs 233 of flexible material, such as spring steel riveted to the hoopsas at 234, and to which the material 201 is stitched, so that when free,these ribs will maintain the net material in the position illustrated inFig. 9, dilated for the reception of a specimen, and the flexiblecharacter of these ribs permits them to be grasped by the hand of theoperator as indicated in Fig. 8 so that the escape of the specimen 220is prevented, and still a suitable chamber is left for its retentionwithout injury. When released, the net will again assume the shape shownin Fig. 9.

Fig. 10 shows the supporting hoops and ribs separately.

Having illustrated and described my invention thus fully and suitablemeans by which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the materials nor to the formsof construction selected for illustration and description by Way ofexample, nor in general do 1 limit myself otherwise than as set forth inthe claims read in connection with this specification.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. A net for specimens of the class de-. scribed; said netcomprising a portion provided with a wide mouth-piece, and means tosecure the same to a handle; and a portion of open-work materialprovided with a dilating member, to form a captive chamher for thereception of a plurality of insects with extended wings; theintermediate portion of said net being flexible, to permit closure ofthe exit from said captive chamber.

2. A net for specimens of the class described; said net comprising aportion provided with a wide mouth-piece, and means to secure the sameto a handle; and a portion of open network provided with a dilatingmember, to form a captive chamber for &

the reception of a plurality of specimens, being of sufficient size topermit their limited flight; the intermediate portion of said net beingflexible, to permit closure of the exit from said captive chamber, saidwide mouth ring; an open-work structure forming a captive-chamber; anarrow neckring; and ribs connecting said mouth-ring and open-workstructure respectively with said neck-ring.

Signed at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey this26th day of November, 1913.

MARVIN H. MEAD.

Witnesses:

W. V. E. TUNIso ELIAS MEAD.

Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

